A man was awarded $115,000 after a random Facebook post destroyed his life and business

A 74-year-old Australian man was
awarded $115,000 in damages caused by a
libelous Facebook post about his business, and it's a good
reminder that you can't just say anything on social media.

Here's what happened.

Kenneth Rothe, the man awarded the damages, owned two hotels, the
Nirvana Village and Blue Dolphin Motels, located in the
Australian coastal town of Nambucca where he lived with his
family.

One day, out of the blue, his hotels were accused of being a
haven to pedophiles, a claim that the judge would later determine
was baseless.

In March 2014, electrician David Scott posted, “Pedophile
[sic] warning:- Nambucca has been used as a relocation for these
monsters – blue dolphin –nirvana hotel and above the Indian
restaurant! …Bus stops are right out front of theses hotels for
our children?"

In the wake of the Facebook post, Rothe started
receiving numerous anonymous phone calls, and he says his life
was threatened on two different occasions. One assault left him
hospitalized for six months. Eventually, his family moved out of
the coastal village.

Judge Judith Gibson, who presided over the case, said the
post was written out of the blue, had no factual basis, and
severely affected Rothe's life. Scott was ordered to pay
Rothe.

"The anonymity, instaneousness and wide ranging reach of
the Internet and social media make it a dangerous tool in the
hands of persons who see themselves as caped crusaders or
whistleblowers,”
Judge Gibson said.